Meet Pegg, a gender-neutral robot assistant

[The world’s first personal chatbot for business finance]( March 28, 2018 London technologist Kriti Sharma worries about the sexism in artificial intelligence. “Despite the common public perception that algorithms aren’t biased like humans, in reality, they are learning racist and sexist behavior from existing data and the bias of their creators," she says. So, in an effort to make AI more ethical and inclusive, she developed the gender-neutral robot, [Pegg](, the world’s first personal chatbot for business finance. It's part of a series, "[From ‘Mx.’ to ‘hen’: When ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ words aren’t enough](." Also, [Egyptian TV host Khairi Ramadan]( is a well-known, pro-government presenter. So, his arrest earlier this month for spreading “fake news" against the police has shocked many in the media. And, a couple describes their [wedding in Yemen]( — near a military base held by the Houthis and frequently targeted by coalition jets. — Anna Pratt, The Scan editor [No Images? Click here.]( [Meet Pegg, a gender-neutral robot assistant]( [Meet Pegg, a gender-neutral robot assistant]( AI is reinforcing human stereotypes, says technologist Kriti Sharma. She's trying to change that. [Meet Pegg, a gender-neutral robot assistant]( [Meet Pegg, a gender-neutral robot assistant]( AI is reinforcing human stereotypes, says technologist Kriti Sharma. She's trying to change that. [Egypt targeted ‘fake news’ ahead of presidential elections]( [Egypt targeted ‘fake news’ ahead of presidential elections]( For many, TV host Khairi Ramadan’s arrest signals quite how extreme the campaign against the media has become in the lead up to next week’s presidential elections, where the authorities are using charges of “fake news” to tighten censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists has warned. [Egypt targeted ‘fake news’ ahead of presidential elections]( [Egypt targeted ‘fake news’ ahead of presidential elections]( For many, TV host Khairi Ramadan’s arrest signals quite how extreme the campaign against the media has become in the lead up to next week’s presidential elections, where the authorities are using charges of “fake news” to tighten censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists has warned. [Getting married amid airstrikes in Yemen]( [Getting married amid airstrikes in Yemen]( Summer Nasser's wedding to Muntaser Yaghnam was nearly cut short by an airstrike. This is the story of how they met, how they married and why they still can't leave Yemen behind. [Getting married amid airstrikes in Yemen]( [Getting married amid airstrikes in Yemen]( Summer Nasser's wedding to Muntaser Yaghnam was nearly cut short by an airstrike. This is the story of how they met, how they married and why they still can't leave Yemen behind. [Highly trained and educated, some foreign-born doctors still can’t practice medicine in the US]( [Highly trained and educated, some foreign-born doctors still can’t practice medicine in the US]( There are tens of thousands of foreign-trained doctors who could help alleviate the US’ shortage. But many of them are not allowed to work here. ['Day Zero' has been postponed, but Cape Town is still scrambling to deal with its water crisis]( ['Day Zero' has been postponed, but Cape Town is still scrambling to deal with its water crisis]( The water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa is easing a bit, but the city and many of its businesses and institutions are forging ahead with expensive efforts to increase supply, including private desalination plants. Hey, Scan reader… Did you know that PRI turns 35 in 2018? We’re proud to celebrate 35 years of telling essential stories, like the ones you just read in this edition of The Scan. If you value in-depth, independent journalism that provides diverse perspectives and global insights, consider supporting PRI with a financial contribution. And thanks to a passionate supporter, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar. [Donate Today >]( Enjoying The Scan? Forward it to a friend! And if you’re not getting it daily, it’s easy to subscribe. [Sign up here](. We also love feedback, so please [tell us how we’re doing](. Today’s newsletter was written by Anna Pratt. Find her on Twitter: [@annapratt](. [Press release]( [PRI Facebook]( [PRI Twitter]( [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( The Scan is brought to you by [GlobalPost]( and [PRI - Public Radio International](.